quote:

The prime minister’s official residence has been in a state of disrepair for years. On Sunday, former prime minister Jean Chretien told CTV’s Question Period that the 34-room residence was embarrassing.

In 2008, the National Capital Commission estimated repairs would cost about $10 million and would require full access for a minimum of 12 to 15 months.

vyelkin posted:

Wow Chris Alexander is still in campaign mode and doesn't get that the party was just totally clobbered because they kept saying exactly the same stuff he's still saying now. What a moron.

Sedge and Bee posted:

Ezra Levant is really angry that Trudeau is spending frivolously when there are natives to help

jfood posted:

The Prime Minister should live in a million dollar 500 sqft condo, wood frame condo that will finish building five years from now like a true Canadian.

Brannock posted:

Holy poo poo all those years I thought all the cat jokes about Harper were only just jokes

Brannock posted:

Just abolish the Senate.

quote:

Ethnic Chinese comprised 73 per cent of all buyers. Five per cent of buyers were corporations, but the people behind the investment vehicles were not identified. Of 32 homes sold for more than $4 million, 94 per cent of owners were ethnic Chinese and the rest were corporations.

Even more stunning, the study shows that of all self-declared occupations among owners — on homes worth an average $3.05 million — 36 per cent were housewives or students with little income.

quote:

Tax experts have raised concerns that offshore investors are exploiting tax code loopholes to evade GST and capital gains. Housewives and students with little or no declared income can live briefly in Vancouver and flip properties tax-free, reports say, while claiming a home is a primary residence. In some of these so-called “astronaut” family arrangements, the real homebuyer lives and works in China while flowing money through relatives into Vancouver in order to store wealth.

Also, recent academic studies have shown that about 30 per cent of households in some of Vancouver’s wealthiest west side neighbourhoods, where Chinese migrant buyers are dominant, declare meagre incomes much below their annual housing costs.

THC posted:

Conservative ads, in their tone, were easy to confuse with pre-planned funeral ads.

eXXon posted:

See, this is proof that C-51 has saved dozens of lives and that all of the privacy and civil rights issues are bogus. Case closed.

Do it ironically posted:

people can have as many kids as they want regardless of how well they can raise them.

bunnyofdoom posted:

New Goon Project. Buying this.

THC posted:

One of my CompSci profs made us watch a Jesse Ventura video

"Pretty out-there but he makes a lot of good points! It's good to hear from all perspectives, just something for you guys to think about~"

PT6A posted:

No, I've been drinking and it is the collective wisdom of this thread that combining the two represents such a clear and present danger that we should not even permit them to be sold in the same place.

THC posted:

Novus is pretty good

Do it ironically posted:

THC posted:

Nardwuar is recovering in hospital after a stroke.

THC posted:

The mere fact that she is a Conservative is a pretty good indicator that she is lying.

Ikantski posted:

They "landed" on your property? Like a crow or something stole them, dropped them and poof? If they're gen 1 seeds, you might be okay because they came off patent this year. Supposedly, you can legally save seed from your own crops to re-plant on your own land now.

http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/pages/roundup-ready-patent-expiration.aspx

Baronjutter posted:

Jesus christ 10 lane bridge replacing a 4 lane tunnel??? Why??? For that money they could have built an LRT or something out to the ferries.

CLAM DOWN posted:

Was that the winter of 98 or something when we got a loving metre of snow in Vancouver? I remember building a snow cave at my parents house

Coolwhoami posted:

Most, but not all: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/nanimo-marijuana-dipensaries-rcmp-pot-search-warrants-1.3345723

I can't speak to the validity of the complaints, but certainly the fact that in some jurisdictions it may as well be legal (such as Vancouver) is not consistent everywhere.

Franks Happy Place posted:

I just got word that CAMCD is going to call an emergency meeting and invite every Vancouver dispensary and grow op to join a political coalition, which I may or may not have a big role in. Beyond my desire for paid employment as a weed lobbyist, this is a great first step- they have a LOT of money and could be quite a powerful force if they'd only get their poo poo together long enough to see the existential threat.

I will liveblog the meeting on Friday, I promise.

THC posted:

Uh, what? Everyone knows renewables are a non-starter. BC's future is in Clean LNG, a million Clean LNG jobs by 2025. Clean LNG is the path to our gas future. Clean gas jobs forever and ever. All hundred years. Clean LNG dot com. Please buy our gas?

quote:

Wireless rates rise with hikes in internet, home phone ahead

Telcos blame low dollar and high cost of building networks for price increases
Bell, Rogers and Telus customers should get set for rate hikes.

The three largest telecommunications companies have raised or plan to raise the prices of their wireless packages in January, and are warning of increases to home phone and internet prices in February.

Telus will be tacking on $5 to its Smartphone and Premium Smartphone tiers beginning Thursday.

The change affects new customers buying phones — including Apple and Android devices — through Telus.

Rogers increased the cost of its Share Everything plans with 5GB, 9GB or 15GB of data by $5 a month on Jan. 12.

Bell also announced price increases effective Jan. 12, an additional $5 for both Lite and Plus Share plans, with increases of $3 to $8 for Mobile TV.

Together, Rogers, Telus and Bell control 89 per cent of the wireless telecom market in Canada.

Blame the low dollar
Telus told CBC News the low Canadian dollar is pushing up the price of new equipment to build out its networks.

"The modest wireless rate plan increase reflects increasing costs for network components resulting from a weaker Canadian dollar, as well as the annual multibillion-dollar investments required to keep up with the growing demand for wireless data. The change applies only to new contracts and renewals, so existing customers won't notice a change to their monthly bills," said a Telus spokeswoman.

Bell said it spends $3 billion annually to expand its broadband networks, but that most equipment comes from suppliers who charge U.S. dollars.

"The massive and ongoing investment required to build world class infrastructure is coming at a significantly higher cost due to the weak dollar," a company spokesman said in an email.

All three telcos also plan to weaken the attraction for bring-your-own-device plans by raising the price of base service.

According to MobileSyrup's Daniel Bader, the telcos are finding average revenue per user is dropping as people adopt more all-inclusive plans, including long distance and unlimited roaming, prompting price increases for some options.

Cost of internet, TV to rise
At the same time, the cost of residential service is rising.

Both Bell and Telus have announced price increases effective Feb. 1 on home phone, and internet and TV packages.

"Price adjustments support our continued investments in network, product and service enhancements," Bell said in a statement.

Rogers has already raised internet prices and plans to boost the cost of TV packages later in February.

In March, cable and satellite companies must introduce a $25 "basic" package and offer consumers either a choice of individual channels or small bundles of channels.

sliderule posted:

I'm glad that no conservatives were ever children.

Whiskey Sours posted:

What's Kiefer Sutherland up to these days?

Femtosecond posted:

This seems crazy to me. What is this fund going to be used for by the way?

LNG posted:

The world is full of idiots who don't understand what's important, and they'll tear us apart, Christy. But if ya stick with me, I'm gonna accomplish great things, Christy, and you're gonna be part of 'em, and together we're gonna run around, Christy. We're gonna do all kinds of wonderful things, Christy. Just you and me, Christy. The outside world is our enemy, Christy. We're the only friends we've got, Christy! It's just LNG and Christy. LNG and Christy and their adventures, Christy. LNG AND CHRISTY FOREVER AND FOREVER A HUNDRED YEARS LNG and Christy.

Count Roland posted:

CanPol: Alberta oil is the best deal on the planet

He sounds like Trump there.

EvilJoven posted:

Idk if you guys saying that my issues with Manitoba drivers have ever driven here. It's mind bogglingly bad, way worse than anywhere else I've driven. Manitoba drivers are their own special breed of gigantic inattentive selfish assholes.

cowofwar posted:

I've never met a Winnipegger. Where do they get the money to leave?